Russia pounds Kyiv in one of war’s largest ballistic barrages

Russia hit Kyiv overnight with one of its heaviest ballistic missile barrages of the full-scale war, killing at least one person and injuring 16 as explosions and fires spread across the Ukrainian capital in the early hours of Sunday.[0]

Ukrainian officials said the attack began around 1:30 a.m. local time and lasted for several hours. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 41 missiles and 125 attack drones across the country, including 25 ballistic missiles, with most of the missiles aimed at Kyiv. Air defenses intercepted or suppressed 108 drones and 18 missiles, NPR reported.thehindu

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike was among Russia’s largest ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv and again pressed allies for more anti-ballistic interceptors. “Protection against ballistic missiles is our constant and top priority right now,” he wrote, saying the weapons were needed every day.npr

The attack damaged homes, office and industrial sites, a dormitory, vehicles and commercial buildings. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported fires in several districts, including at a dormitory, a residential block and a supermarket, while emergency crews rescued residents from burning buildings.france24

The Kyiv Independent, citing the Ukrainian air force, reported a broader salvo that included 125 drones, 25 ballistic missiles, 10 Zircon hypersonic missiles and six other missiles. It said at least nine people were hospitalized, three in serious condition, after strikes and debris hit locations in Kyiv and the surrounding region.dw

Russia’s defense ministry said it targeted Ukrainian military-linked facilities, including drone and missile-production sites and a postal terminal it described as used for dual-use goods. Moscow denies targeting civilians, but the latest attack struck residential areas and comes after several large assaults on Kyiv in recent weeks.thehindu

The barrage followed Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russia that hit logistics warehouses in the Moscow and Tambov regions and killed eight workers, according to AFP reporting carried by France 24. Kyiv has expanded long-range attacks on Russian energy and logistics targets, calling them retaliation for years of Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities.[0]

The immediate pressure point for Kyiv is air defense. Ballistic missiles are difficult to intercept and give residents little warning, and Ukraine has warned that its supply of Patriot interceptor missiles is under strain. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he is prepared to license Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptors, but details and timing remain unclear.npr